John Alcock (organist) facts for kids
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John Alcock (born April 11, 1715, in London – died February 23, 1806) was a talented English musician. He was an organist, which means he played the organ, and also a composer, meaning he wrote music. He created many different kinds of music, including pieces for instruments, songs called glees, and lots of music for church services.
John Alcock's Musical Journey
John Alcock started his musical training with a famous composer named John Stanley. He studied at St. Paul's Cathedral in London, a very important church. Later, in 1766, he earned a special degree called a doctorate in music from the University of Oxford. This showed how skilled he was in music.
Alcock also wrote a book in 1771 called The Life Of Miss Fanny Brown. It was a novel, but it shared some details about his own life. He even worked as a private organist for a nobleman called the Earl of Donegall.
Throughout his career, John Alcock held important organist positions at several churches:
- Organist of St Andrew's Church, Plymouth from 1737 to 1741
- Organist of St Laurence's Church, Reading from 1741 to 1750
- Organist of Lichfield Cathedral from 1750 to 1761
- Organist of Holy Trinity Church, Sutton Coldfield from 1761 to 1786
- Organist of St. Editha's Church, Tamworth from 1766 to 1790
Family Life
John Alcock married Margaret Beaumont (1711–1792) on May 20, 1737. They had several children together. Two of their sons followed in their father's musical footsteps. Their oldest son, also named John, was born in 1740 and became a composer. Their youngest son, William (1756–1833), also became an organist.
